Tutcetus fossil map
Where fossils of Tutcetus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 45 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 45 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 41.03–37.71 million years ago (Bartonian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Basilosauridae |
| Named by | Antar et al. 2023 |
| Fossil records | 2 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Egypt |
| Rock formations | Sath El-Hadid |
About Tutcetus
Tutcetus is an extinct genus of diminutive basilosaurid cetacean from the Bartonian of Egypt. Tutcetus, named after the child pharaoh Tutankhamun, is both one of the oldest known basilosaurids from Africa and the smallest member of the family. It is suggested that the type specimen, a subadult close to maturity, only measured approximately 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) long. The genus is monotypic, only including the species T. rayanensis.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Tutcetus (revision 1377648988), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q121358466.
